HAPPINESS WITHOUT PEACE IS A MIRAGE

It is widely known that desire for worldly pleasures is the root cause of bondage. Man tries to possess objects of his desire and derive pleasure from them. But the joy is short-lived. The struggle begins again. Joy and sorrow come alternately in life, but man seeks uninterrupted joy, though he knows it is unattainable in this world. This baffling problem has exercised the minds of great thinkers from times immemorial. They have all come up with a solution. This is to accept the world as it is with its rich variety and seeming imperfections. We should not to try to change the behavior of others to our liking. That would be a futile exercise. Instead, by changing our view of life and accepting the behavior of others, we can have peace of mind and obtain a state of perpetual happiness. What needs change is our mind. Man in search of pleasure is in a state of anxiety or tension all the time. If mind gets rid of this anxiety and obtains a state of peace, he attains perpetual happiness. Peace is the key to happiness.

Lord Krishna says: “One whose senses are not disciplined, lacks the intelligence (Budhi) to know the Supreme Consciousness, and he will not also have the necessary concentration (to practice yoga) .

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Peace of mind is beyond him. Where is happiness without peace?”(Bhagavad Gita 2.66)

Obviously we cannot give up all desires. But we can discipline the mind. We must give up those desires, the pursuit of which prevent our mind from attaining peace. Desires for worldly pleasures enjoyed through the senses come under this category. But even these have to be allowed for in order to lead a balanced life, so long as the senses remain fully under control.

What about new desires entering the mind? Though many rivers flow into the ocean all the time, the ocean remains unaffected. If a person can remain (in like manner) undisturbed by the incessant flow of desires into his mind, he attains peace, not one who runs after desires. (Bhagavad Gita 2.70)